You don’t get much more ’80s ostentatious than today’s Nice Price or No Dice 911. Let’s see if this Gemballa-bodied Targa comes with a price tag that might be considered contrastingly less outrageous.
When Fiat introduced the 1969 128 with its innovative transverse engine with end-on gearbox drivetrain, it sparked a revolution in space-efficient family cars. That introduction also engendered a generation of mid-engined sports cars that repurposed the compact engine and transmission layout from FWD to behind the seats. The first of those was the Fiat X1/9, but later cars, like the Pontiac Fiero and Toyota MR2, would take the idea mainstream. Despite that history, as well as a laudably as-new presentation, the 1991 Toyota MR2 we looked at yesterday failed to impress at its $20,000 asking. That buys too many, arguably more lust-worthy cars, and so the mid-engined Mister went down in a 72 percent No Dice loss.
Porsche offers a number of mid-engined cars, although none of them have ever embodied a transverse engine layout. That would likely be sacrilege to the marque’s most rabid fans, who take umbrage that the company has strayed from its traditional pairing of a rear-mounted engine and air-cooling. Because of that extremely tradition-minded fan base, Porsche has long been fairly conservative regarding the evolution of its mainstay 911 model line. That has opened the door to a number of aftermarket tuners that seek to add some sizzle to the 911’s steak.
One such tuner is Gemballa GmbH. Founded in 1981 in Leonberg, Germany, by Uwe Gemballa, the company is still doing business today, fully 13 years after its founder’s mystery-shrouded murder following allegations of money laundering and tax evasion.
Another less-than-flattering bit of Gemballa’s history is its mention in the song Get Loose by Robert Van Winkle, more infamously known by his stage name, Vanilla Ice. To be fair, Van Winkle did actually own a Gemballa, having bought a 1988 Cyrrus Turbo in 1991.
Let’s just be clear: this 1977 Porsche 911 Targa with Gemballa bodywork doesn’t have any obvious Vanilla Ice taint. It’s also unlikely that buying it will have the Feds knocking on the door.
In fact, the seller offers no history of the car whatsoever. It does seem to have had a no-expenses-spared Gemballa conversion, including a widened slant nose front end, 928 fog lights, and Ferrari Testarossa-aping side strakes. On the coupe, this all comes off as ostentatious and over the top. On the Targa, with its more vertical-appearing roofline, it’s a bit less successful. It does successfully pull off an unmistakable ’80s vibe, though, which is accentuated by the Cuisinart-style deep dish alloy wheels that underpin it.
The Reagan era is even more alive in the cabin. Updates include a full re-trimming in black and biscuit leather and white-faced gauges instead of the Porsche-preferred dials. Gemballas of the era were known for their cutting-edge electronics and sound systems, but the builders of this car seem to have not taken that path. Aside from some wear evident on the aftermarket steering wheel, there doesn’t seem to be anything amiss inside.
While the car’s massive fender scoops and picnic table wing might imply a turbo mill lives within, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Instead, it appears that no mods have been made to the 911’s stock 2.7-liter flat-six. That means the driver has, at their behest, 157 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque to play with, managed through Porsche’s stout 915 five-speed.
According to the ad, the car comes with a clean title and is in “excellent” condition. It’s also said to “run and drive great.” What would be nice is a bit of history on the car. At the very least, the seller could have included the VIN so a bit of DMV sleuthing could be done.
What we can tell is that this seems to be a 911 with a Gemballa body kit and not one of the models the tuner was cranking out in small numbers (and selling to the likes of Vanilla Ice) back in the ’80s and ’90s. Could that be enough to account for the car’s $55,000 price tag?
What’s your take on this Gemballa Targa and that asking? Does that seem like a deal for a decent car with at least some salacious corporate history? Or does that price make you not “heart” the ’80s?
You decide!
Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
Help me out with NPOND. Hit me up at remslie@kinja.com and send me a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your Kinja handle.